Tanuki Racoon
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Posts posted by Tanuki Racoon
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I'm going back to school.
SAVE US ALL! AAAAAIIIIIEEEEEE.
Wunc ewe have braynez, their will B no living with ewe.
:)
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Sorry to hear that -- I'm sure it must be difficult. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
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Sorry about your car. Just now back and catching up on posts.
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Ever hunted a wild Tofu across the plains of antarctica? Me niether, but a less confusing question is: "Which do you prefer, beef or poultry or fish?"
Beef of course :)
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She says that I might have traumatic glaucoma.
I'm going in for testing on Thursday and am quite concerned.
(1) Good Luck
(2) And all glaucoma is traumatic, but hopefully yours isn't too bad.
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I agree that a physical description of the boy is not needed. The boy's actions are all we really need to know about, and you demonstrate those quite adequately--short stories are not a place for long expository passages.
Au contraire, mon frere. But, my suggestion was not to add mountains of exposition. And a physical description of some nature adds a bit of depth.
I suggested (go look) that a simple word can communicate a lot.
The boy went to the pool.
The tow-headed boy went to the pool.
(We have hair colour here)
You can add tiny additions of three words here and four words there to do this and you have a feeling of depth and completeness. I could completely describe the kid in under twenty words and it would really help.
That was my point in making my comment.
So there.
Dammit.
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Thing is, fellow authors, normal chapter breaks occur when the scene changes or as a major event concludes, so a cliffhanger may just be a natural chapter break. In Alone I had exactly two chapters with deliberate cliffhangers. The rest weren't, though some people felt they were. Interesting, eh?
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Can I also add that the people (using the word lightly) responsible are only a handful. Please don't victimise the innocent because they may share ONE characteristic (eg. a claim to belong to a particular religion) with those responsible.
I am friends with an Iranian, so I understand what you mean. Yes, true Islam abhors violence and taking someone else's life is not acceptable. A very small but very dangerous group of people have perverted a perfectly respectable religion to their own heinous designs.
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... I hope you're all okay after today's horrific attack.
To hell with the terrorists....
First, and above all else, my thoughts are with those in London who are recovering from the terrorist attack today. It is truly a tragedy and I'm sorry anyone has to go through that sort of ordeal. The only remotely positive thing I can conceive of is that it could have been much, much worse. Those that have perpetrated this horrific crime are not humans and do not deserve to live. Show no more mercy to them than you would a bug. They are barbarians, the lot.
I go to London regularly, and I will continue to go regularly. I refuse to be scared of some cowardly pile of garbage that thinks this is going to beat anyone especially me into submission. If your fear gets the better of you, then the bastards have won.
I will not let some terrorist hiding under the cover of darkness deter me from my life. I will not cow to the will of some scum-sucking, bottom-dwelling sack of shit. They will not win and I will not let them win. I will ride the tube and the bus. I will be cautious, but I will not be afraid.
The terrorists' plan so far seems to be to keep everyone unbalanced and in fear. It's very impressive blowing up a bunch of innocent people to try and prove a point*. It only makes civilised people not have any sympathy for your cause. They will only win if you let them.
* sarcasm, duh.
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So why couldn't the same thing apply to any story. The message in a story could be obvious and each reader could get something different out of it.
Every single story I write has a message in it. Sometimes it's subtle and sometimes it hits you with a stick. That's really up to the author to do. And in my case, I do :)
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and I'm hung like a water buffalo. :-D
Thanks for sharing your fantasy with us sweetheart....
:)
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Homosexuality is in the genes, study claims
July 03, 2005 9:40 AM EDT
Sexuality is determined well before birth and is not the result of social influences, scientists will claim this week. The authors of a new book published on Thursday say that sexual orientation is decided by a mixture of genetic factors and hormonal activity in the womb " and that homosexuality cannot be 'cured'.
Born Gay by Dr Glenn Wilson of the Institute of Psychiatry and Dr Qazi Rahman of the University of East London has been welcomed by gay rights activists, who say it proves there is nothing 'unnatural' about homosexuality. But the book has also been criticised for suggesting that men who see themselves as bisexual should be classed as gay.
Born Gay summarises the latest research into the psychobiology of sex orientation, concluding that studies with twins show that around 30 to 50 per cent of sexual orientation is due to genes. The rest is the result of processes in the womb.
The genes involved in sexual orientation produce receptors in the brain which absorb male hormones released by the developing baby's testicles. It is thought that in gay men these receptors are less sensitive or are blocked. The absence of testosterone results in the brain developing certain female characteristics, including attraction to men.
It is also believed that the unabsorbed testosterone affects the body's extremities. This would explain, Dr Rahman said, why the finger lengths of adult gay men tended to be more male-like that those of heterosexual men, in that their index fingers are significantly shorter than their ring finger. (Women's index and ring fingers tend to be of equal length).
The hormone may also be responsible for increasing the size of the penis, another extremity. A number of studies have shown that gay men are better endowed than heterosexual men.
The scientists also claim that true bisexual men are extremely rare. Studies showed that heterosexual men respond to lesbian pornography, but not to gay pornography. 'What's interesting is that bisexual men do not response to both type of stimuli. Almost 95 per cent of bisexual men respond exclusively to gay stimuli,' said Dr Rahman.
According to the researchers, there is much evidence to contradict claims that homosexuality is caused by social factors, such as seduction, or that it can be learnt. 'Showing that homosexuality is not due to learning, or seduction, or smothering mothers has very clear implications for social policies, Dr Rahman added. 'Clause 28 emphasised the notion that homosexuality should not be talked about because that might encourage young people to experiment.
Ben Summerskill, the chief executive of Stonewall, said he welcomed evidence that made discrimination against gay people untenable.
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http://www.toxic.no/php/vis_film.php?id=82
I am not sure if I find this:
A. Funny
B. Wrong on many levels
C. Both
D. Neither
(Watch the whole thing -- it's only about 30 seconds)
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I really, really, really, didn?t want to reply to this entire thread because of the emotional investment I would have to make. However a certain person asked me too, so I am. Invariably, someone will take offense. Happily, being an arrogant SOB, I won?t care :) I am stubborn, strong-willed, arrogant, and anything else you want to call me. And, I can live with it because after all these years, I?ve also learned that I?m usually right. I guess that makes me smug too :D
First, Codey....
<<I?ve been accused of being too vanilla or too white bread by some because of the things I believe and for a while I was beginning to think maybe they were right and I was wrong.>>
That, sir, is horseshit. People shouldn?t ACCUSE you of anything because of what you believe. But the fact is people will and do. What you need to do is understand you have to be YOU. If people don?t want to be around you, that?s their business. If you end up with NO friends because of your choice of who YOU are then you get to decide if that?s good or bad. Frankly, I don?t see much about you that?s a problem so you?re probably on the right track and the accusers aren?t.
<<I admit that I?m vanilla and white bread but that?s the way I was reared. >>
I probably am too, but SO WHAT? If that?s the worst thing that?s wrong with someone that?s fucking fantastic!
<<I was taught that if you see a wrong you try to right it, if you see someone who needs help you do all you can to give them the help they need.>>
You were brought up well.
<< that the way some things are doesn?t mean that they can?t be changed for the better.>>
Change the world and make it a better place. Exactly.
Want to know what burns my ass? People who complain about the political climate and then you find out they?re not registered to vote. If you aren?t making an effort to correct the problem, please, shut the fuck up. You have no right to complain. If you aren?t trying to fix it, you?re part of the problem. Good for you, Codey.
<<I guess what I?m trying to say is that my outlook on life is at odds with many adults who have settled for life the way it is instead of working to make it the way it could be.>>
As my history teacher taught me in 10th grade: the masses are asses. Codey, you?re trying to be more and you are to be applauded.
<<The emphasis on negativity and sex in most stories is sending the wrong message to teens who are struggling to even admit to themselves that they?re gay let alone admit it to the world. It is sending the message that there must be something wrong with us or things wouldn?t be so bad for us. In far to many stories, gay teens are portrayed as flawed in someway as if being gay means being flawed. >>
Here?s where you?ve gone wrong. You?ve made a logical jump that?s in error. Teenagers, as a general rule, are flawed people. Before you all jump down my throat, allow me to explain. Part of becoming mature and a more perfect person is growing up. Teenagers are not done growing up. They haven?t been through life. They have flaws in their characters, many of which will correct over time ? and some which won?t.
As a writer, I portray all my characters as flawed because *ALL* people without exception *ARE* flawed. There is NO SUCH THING as a perfect person, myself included :)
<<I, for one, am tired of being told I?m out of the mainstream because I don?t like stories with graphic sex or drug usage. >>
No story I?ve ever written has graphic sex because, frankly, I can?t write a good sex scene. I?ve tried and failed. But (to use one example) Perry & Jesse has a few graphic sex scenes in it, but they are a relatively small blip in a very, very long story. And they serve a VERY important purpose: to relieve the unbelievable amount of sexual tension.
The number of teens having sex is escalating at the same time at the age at which they?re having sex is declining. (Go look it up ? it?s a fact). This is a societal ill. Teens are expecting more and more instant gratification and no longer are patient about these things. I *admire* people who wait to have sex and I don?t have a lot of respect for most teens who are proud they lost their virginity at 14. That IS NOT A BADGE OF HONOUR.
Drug use? I abhor it with a passion. I will admit to having tried and used a few drugs of an unspecified nature. So when I say I hate, it?s from a PERSONAL experience and not some high-and-mighty pulpit. I have used it and I *KNOW* what it?s like and what?s wrong with it. I have written drug use into my stories for plot reasons, but those stories haven?t been made public.
<<I can?t thank Mike, TR and Blue enough for their running interference for me and giving me heads ups about stories they know I?ll be uncomfortable with.>>
It?s nice they do that, Codey. But I can tell you one thing. From your post *you* are mature enough to make that decision on your own. You ought to read a story and decide to stop because the sex is gratuitous or the drug use is wrong. Don?t let anyone else make that decision for you ? not even those three very well-meaning and decent people. Every person has their own ideas about a story. (Maybe they?re just giving you advice, and that?s great. Or maybe you asked them to, which is also fine. I?m just saying you ought to be making those decisions on your own.)
Now, on to Mr. JS :) who, having read the above, has probably already run away and stopped reading.
<<Writers write about what they know.>>
This is true with almost all authors. But, a really good author can write what he doesn?t know. When I first put out Alone, everyone thought I was British. I?m an American ? but I faked it enough to fool quite a few of her majesty?s finer citizens. This is a stupid example, but most of my better examples are not in published works. I can assure you, I could convince you I?ve been in the military, been a drug pusher, and had rampant unprotected sex during the 60s: NONE OF WHICH I?VE DONE. And I?m not that great of an author.
<<When I read stories online about happy, healthy gay teens with accepting parents, who don't get harrassed, humiliated and beaten on at school, I have to suspend my disbelief.>>
Fundamentally, you are correct. This comes down to REALISM which was the point you wanted to make above, but didn?t. You don?t have to KNOW something to make it believable, but you have to express yourself well, and you have to understand what it is inside of yourself. Another silly example: Tokien. If you?ve read his seminal LOTR, you absolutely, unequivicollay believe in that world. The epic science-fantasy did even exist, yet there it was and totally believable. And Peter Jackson, a man after my own heart, obviously saw the world as I did because he brought it to life. He believed it too.
Some gays DO go through life without all these bad things. I know one who?s not gotten the bad end of a deal. But he?s an exception. I think a good author could make you believe a totally positive experience, maybe that author hasn?t tried to write it yet. (I know I couldn?t do it.)
<<When I hear about gay kids going to church and being accepted, I don't know what to think. >>
I believe outside of San Francisco, this wouldn?t be the norm. Church is basically evil, I believe. But, again, there ARE gay friendly churches in many cities.
<<When I hear about cops that actually give a damn and don't give you crap, I can hardly believe it.>>
Some cops DO care. The vast majority are jaded. I knew lots of cops.
<<However, it is so far outside of my own experience that I have no frame of reference. It's not my world, it's not my experience and frankly I don't see it.>>
This is the real point
<<As for changing that world, you must first survive it. A whole lot of good people don't.>>
Only the good die young. That is a truism. We agree there.
<<I believe that shining the light of truth on things that happen in the shadows and are concealed by shame is the best way of raising awareness->>
That?s only half the battle. You have to get someone to want to watch what you?re showing them. Or in my case, get them to read. All my stories have messages. Alone has detailed, complex messages. Nothing is more rewarding than when someone actually writes me to discuss one. That?s happened, oh, like, maybe, twice. Someone even figured out why I named my lead characters the way I did. Nothing in that story is by accident. There are many levels to appreciate it on, too. Most readers just want an orgasm and not a good story. That?s why I *like* being here on AD. I don?t WANT readers who want to shoot a load after reading my story because my stories WILL NOT deliver that. I seriously doubt anyone?s even pitched a tent by reading my stories. However, I believe you can even in a story which is dark and negative deliver positive messages. But it?s not an easy task for a writer.
<<Yes, it's disturbing. It's sometimes difficult to read about. It's MUCH more disturbing and difficult to live it.>>
I?m sure it is which is why I will never leave the closet and have no desire to do so. I admire those of you who have left.
<You don't do gay teens any favors painting the gay world as rosy and being inhabitated>>
Allow me to re-write it: You don't do teens any favors painting the world as rosy.
<< It is inhabitated by just as many angry, damaged and evil people.>>
Humans, as a group are a despicable lot. I have little faith in humanity, little faith in my fellow man. Like you, I rely on my experience in the world. I do have some very close friends who have proven their worth but most people have neither the temerity, tenacity, or patience to try and get close to me. I am an expert at keeping people away without them ever figuring out I am keeping them away. Many of you will think that is sad and/or pathetic. That?s okay too because it works for me.
Plastic Reality:
Those stats make me want to puke. However, I find them amazingly hard to believe. They are so far out of the statistical norm I find them difficult to accept. If they were true, it shows what?s wrong with the world. I?m not sure if I should thank you for proving my point or bitch-slap you for ruining my day :)
Graeme:
<<Ficition can be used for a number of purposes. It can educate people about what is happening in the real world. It can let people escape from the real world. It can help someone understand that they are not alone in the real world. >>
Yes, or, sadly, in much gay fiction, you can get nothing but an orgasm because the story is devoid of any value whatsoever. (I am excluding this site and point to Nifty and the like)
FOR DUDE:
A suggestion. Why not have a rating systems of sorts. Each story can be tagged with the following codes:
L = Language
S = Explicit Sex
A = Abuse
M = S&M
B = B&D
D = Drug Use
U18 = Characters under 18
O18 = All characters over 18
EEEWWW = Straight Sex :)
etc
This would allow people to know what?s in a story. I?d gladly skip B&D/S&M stories for example. This rating system makes no effort to ?RATE? a story like the MPAA which would smack of censorship, but would clue the readers as to what?s in it. You could put it at the top of each story. The author could even provide it.
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Do we, as authors, have a moral obligation to ensure that our stories are not seen to promote or glamourise what we consider to be irresponsible things?
Actually, that was me commenting to TR about his stories. What I said was there was TOO much smoking. I made the comment first from a literary standpoint because it was to the point it was distracting. (Everyone knows I like TR, and this isn't and wasn't any sort of knock at him, but simply my observation as a reader.)
Once I said that, I pointed out in a general way (but this may not have been done on the form but in a PM), that as an author, I don't think throwing in something such as "smoking" without a valid reason is a good idea. Now, it's certainly okay to have smokers if it's part of characterization. For example, if you had a newspaper editor and he didn't smoke and drink, nobody would believe you :)
But having half your teenage drama students smoke isn't believe. Having athletes smoke isn't so believable either.
This is just my two cents. I typed this fast and without thinking so let's see how I do.
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I think for me it was both the shopping and the complaining. Maybe I've been exposed to too many TV sitcoms that depict bitchy housewives. :D
Just because it's a stereotype doesn't mean it's not true ;)
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Wow. I have so much to say in reply to both Codey and James I'm actually at a loss for words. I just don't know where to begin.
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When it comes to using the grammar check, I don't always agree with what is pointed out and the suggested change, but I do look at it closely. If I do see a way to change it, I suggest it.
Let me expand. NEVER use the built in grammar checker. The failure rate of the MS Word grammar checker is near 50% for a writer with a competent command of the English language. For writers with a less than competent command of the English language it actually screws them up worse because they don't even KNOW it's wrong. Just don't use it unless you have a specific question.
As for the built in spell checker, it's not nearly as bad, but do your whole story THEN check it.
It's good practice to do it on your own. I don't use either grammar or spell check on my work. Yeah, that means sometimes an error sneaks by. However it means I make far fewer errors as a rule because I'm always looking for them and checking myself.
-- Stout Scarab
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I can scratch one more fantasy off my list (yes, I know it's pathetic, but I did have fantasies about this kind of demonstration).
Man, you need help more than I do. That's scary.
== Stout Scarab
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Thanks again to all the editors. I have found this a very useful, as well as interesting, experience. I have some more comments to make, but I'll wait until I see what other people say first
To hell with you. MAKE THE COMMENTS NOW. I don't wanna' wait, Asshole :) Okay, I'm kidding. :) :)
Actually, what I would like to know is what do you think of the various editing styles. We all work very differently, that's obvious. Is there one way you prefer over the others. Do you find one easier or better?
Also, what do other authors think?
-- Stout Scarab
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Graeme has told me that I made 275 changes (135 deletions and 140 additions) in that short, two-and-one-half page story.
Yours is so red-white-and-blue I thought it was the fucking fourth of July come early :D
-- Stout Scarab
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Just awakened in a cold sweat. What it's 2:20am...
I was in a sauna with Seth Green and a bottle of thousand island salad dressing-- so far so good. :smt050
Who should bust in naked with condoms and cucumbers?
Jocelyn Elders. ACK!!!!!! :smt019
Could have been worse. Two words: Pauley Shore
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Here's a nice little clip I recieved via junkmail
I got that very same spam. For some reason I opened it and laughed as well.
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...being a virtue, of course.
What I'd like to know, looking back over the thread, is whether, when you saw Graeme, it was you panting or him?
I'm sorry but discretion is the better part of valour.
-- wbms
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First Person or Third
in Writers' Workshop
Posted
My two cents: rarely is a first person story as good as a third person story.
Why? First person is VERY easy to write, but most of the people who use it are lazy writers. (Not all: MOST).
Third person GENERALLY requires more work. So those using this tend to write a bit better.
There is no TECHNICAL reason one is preferable to the other. Just that I think more experienced writers (hence better writers) tend to use Third more than First.
Just my two cents and this is no reflection on any author here or at any other site. Disclaimer. Etc. Etc.